
This is a testimonial both to my stupidity and to the ability of your boat to fly well.
My wife and I were fishing in Aransass Bay back in a shallow estuary (flats) this weekend.
There is a narrow channel that weaves it's way for about 100 yards through and around a shell reef that opens into the bay.
On each side of the channel it is about a foot deep. We get out by getting the boat on plane in the narrow channel and then
blowing out of the estuary over the flats at full speed. We were catching redfish after the sun went down and decided to stay
until well after dark. We got up on plane with the moon illuminating the reef and blew out over the flats. Much to my chagrin,
the moon only illuminated part of the reef and I realized we were going to hit it at about 30mph. I throttled back, sat down
and what happened next is still hard to describe. We hit the reef, became airborne, flew over the reef and landed in the water
on the other side with the motor still running. My wife and I looked at each other and said something like Holy ____! We
had good water pressure in the motor and our flashlight revealed no damage to the boat or motor. Then we crossed Aransass Bay
and went home. A good check of the boat and motor the next day revealed only some small scrapes in the gel coat, but no other damage.
The reef was about two feet high and about 30 feet wide, so we estimated we flew more than 40 feet in the air with a suprisingly soft
landing. Your boat flies well but next time we will pole out in the dark.


J. Killingsworth

"I just wanted to let you know how pleased
I am with my 17' Flats Cat. My last couple of boat were of the more conventional
mono-hull tunnel and flat bottom tunnel designs. These two hulls are very popular
with the extreme flats enthusiasts down here in South Texas. So, I was very skeptical
when considering a cat-hull. Well, now I am a believer. The 17' Cat I recently
purchased from you performs unbelievably well. It is definately the dryest 17'
flats boat I have ever riden in. Even in 2' chop and beam seas, this boat is smooth
and dry. Shallow water performance is awesome as well. I have ran my 17' Cat in
true 6" and less water and water pressure stays more than adequate to keep
the motor cool. This boat stays on plane at 2800 RPM. Hole-shot is extremely strong.
I have gotten up in a true 12" (hard sand) very easily. Probably could get
up in less with a soft bottom. I rigged my 17' Flats Cat with a Bombardier/Johnson
90 HP 2-stroke. This 4-cylinder has an awesome hole-shot. The 15 pitch custom
4-blade prop you provided works perfect with this setup. Top speed (2 persons,
full gear, full fuel) at 5500 RPM is 41 MPH (per GPS). I love how this boat performs!"

Brett
Corpus Christi, Texas

To anyone
interested in shallow boats: Ive owned my Flats Cat for three years now,
run a 135 Mercury with the 14x18 Predator prop. Some boat makers say
their rig will run in shallow water? The flats will run in 2 easily for
miles, Ive run over 10 miles at a time in water that ranged from 2 to 6
inches and never felt bottom nor has my motor showed any signs of heating up or
loosing water pump pressure. Ive crossed many bays throughout the Texas
Gulf Coast in all kinds of weather and the Flats Cat take the chop & keeps
you dry as well as most v-hull boats. It is truly amazing because Ive been
in many v-hulls that will soak the riders in 1 foot swells, also it is the most
stable boat while drifting. Ive been in it with three 200 lb men, can walk
from side to side at anytime without the boat dipping, Im clumsy so I really
appreciate its stability and smooth ride. Its ability to jump out of the
shallow water is super (no pushing out to deep water.) My boat jumps up loaded
(3-4 persons, gear, fish, and ice) in calf deep (±10-12 inches) water,
and is on plane in seconds. I fished steady 4 days a week for 18 months last year
everyday in the Flats Cat so I can tell you it does everything Bill
Allison claims it does.

Scott
Cypress, Texas

"Well indeed
the Flats Cat is unsinkable!! We had an Extremely high tide and high winds last
weekend. Sunday night my Flats Cat was tied up at the dock. One of the front lines
broke in the wind and allowed the bow of the boat to go under the dock. Well we
had an unusually high tide and high onshore winds which pushed the tide 2 feet
above the dock. Since the bow was under the dock the stern went up with the tide
but the bow did not! The boat filled with water to the gunnels and the water went
through the fittings into both hulls!!!! I came out on Monday morning and saw
the boat under the dock full of water!! The tide was down below the dock now.
I got a friend and we stood on the bow so I could get it out from under the dock.
Just roughed up the rub rail, no real damage. I pumped out the boat and cranked
it up. It stood up like a V-hull and I knew the water had filled the hull. I pulled
it out on the trailer and pulled the drain plugs and it drained for 20 minutes
on the ramp. Totally full of water it was. Put the plugs back in and it is fine
and dandy now. So it has been proven...the Flats Cat will not sink. Love that
Flats Cat."

Anthony Bonita Springs, Florida

"I
am glad you sent me a letter asking me for input and/or comments about my Flats
Cat. I have been intending to write you for some time, but for one reason or another
I never seem to find the time. I have to tell you that I am extremely pleased
with my Flats Cat. Unless I decide to buy the longer Flats Cat in the future -
I have purchased my last boat. This boat does everything I want a boat to do in
spades. I have not been on every boat that is made today, but out of those that
I have been on, I have to say that mine is the most stable and dry of all. I really
like the way the "cat" walks across an angling chop. Late spring-early
summer found us at Matagorda. As my son and I approached a shallow cut to enter
west Matagorda Bay we noticed an El Pescador sitting high and dry in the cut.
We just jacked the motor up a little higher and flew right by that very expensive
boat. This occurred in approximately 3-4 inches of water. Our new philosophy is
"if there's water-we can go there" Best wishes for the future."

Larry
Katy, Texas

A
great, dry, shallow running boat. Just wish I had bought it sooner. Perfect for
the Texas coast."Tom
Houston, Texas

Fishing
the middle coast of Texas is the primary way of entertaining my clients. One of
my favorite things to do is running in 5 of water and asking
these clients to look down, so I can see their expression. 100% of these guys
are truly amazed. The shallow water capability of the Hole Shot in
5 to 8 of water further amazes all of us. If you fish in skinny water Flats
Cat performance is the way to go.Mark
Houston, Texas"Having
owned three boats-this is the only boat I will EVER own. Best of the best. I was
running across Gas Wells Flats (Port Isabel) heading to deeper water, I decided
to slow up to allow a boat to cross my path ahead of me, upon stopping I was aground--water
was 3" deep; IT DOES RUN SHALLOW. My partner with me jumped out and started
pushing around. First the stern, then the bow, and continued the process until
we reached 6" water. We then were able to get up and GO."

CT South Houston, Texas

The Flats Cat gets
you into places you dont need to be. Have carried the boat numerous times
to find 5-6 of water to float the Flats Cat, out of too shallow of water
of area. Wonderful boat.

David Houston, Texas

The more I use my
Flats Cat the more I am impressed with its performance and fishability. I fish
the West Chandelier Islands (Breton Sound) frequently which are miles of shallow
flats with open seas in between. We used to take larger boats out and use inflatables
to fish the flats. With the Cat we can go anywhere the inflatable or an aluminum
John boat could go. It is amazingly smooth and dry even in a nasty chop.

Robert
Beaumont, Texas

"After
evaluating several popular, and highly recommended, shallow water boats, I am
convinced that my Flats Cat is a smoother more stable and drier boat, by far.
I used it offshore several times too, and you have to try hard to get water on-board.
I do wish I had about 30 more horsepower than my Honda 90 provides for getting
on plane but I still have the satisfaction of fishing for days on one tankful,
and gas is really getting expensive. My one complaint is that my fore storage
compartment leaks during rains on the stored boat and I have to keep the bottom
drain plugs removed or the trailer tires almost go flat from the weight of water
in the hull. We get lots of heavy rains on the gulf coast and only a covered shed
will solve this problem until you can improve the door seals."

Page Freeport, Texas

"The
decal says "Smoothest, Driest, Shallowest" and it's true. I've ridden
on or owned about every kind of bay boat made and none compare to the Flats Cat.
The four guys that I mainly fish with, all own a Flats Cat. One ride and you will
be convinced. The Flats Cat not only goes ultra-shallow, but it's an incredibly
smooth dry ride in rough water."

Philip Houston, Texas

"Features
I like: 1) no sliding 2) gets up in 7" of soft mud 3) gets up in 10"
of hard sand 4) takes good chop well 5) stays on plane at 10 mph 6) rides surf
in/out well 7) easy to clean."